Many sensing systems, such as Sonar, Radar, and seismic sensors, employ Fourier domain processing to form images from time and space sampled data. As an example, the spectral domain images may include range, elevation angle, and azimuthal angle from Fourier transforms of de-chirped LFM time domain signals and space sampled signals across a phased 2-dimensional array aperture.
Fourier transform processing of a finite sample of time or space data frequently results in spectral leakage. During the formation of spectral images, the spectral leakage, also known as sidelobes, generates false, or artificial signals. In dense high dynamic range scenes, the artifacts and sidelobes make it difficult to determine which signals are true signals.